WITCH The death chronicles
by yellow 14
Summary: When one of the girls dies a violent death at Nerissa's hands she's given a second chance, if she can suceed in her task. If is the operative word.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own W.I.T.C.H, Elizabetta Gnone and Disney do. The life stream belongs to Final Fantasy who is owned by someone else.

AN: This is set in the comicverse, shortly after Caleb was rescued from Nerissa. All pairings are canon.

Detective Tom Lair looked up at the building in front of him. Of all the duties his job entailed, this was the worse. He didn't have to do this, he could have let another officer go, but he had known this girl personally and he felt he owed it to her to tell her parents personally. With a sigh, he rang the bell.

There was a distinct grumbling sound as the door was unlocked. A tired young woman looked at him for a moment, before her eyes flashed with recognition.

"Mr Lair, I know that our daughters are friends, but three in the morning isn't a good time of day to be calling on anyone" she paused when she saw the sombre look in his eyes. Taking advantage of her brief silence, Tom decided to tell her what he had come to say.

"Mrs Lin, I'm here to inform you of the death of your daughter, Hay Lin." Joan's face fell and she appeared to be unable to speak for a moment. Then she composed herself.

"B-B-But how? Why?" she stammered out.

"Mrs Lin, can you please get your husband. I don't want to have to say this more than once. Please?"

With seemingly great difficulty, Joan nodded and got her husband. She invited him in and pulled up a chair at one of the tables in the Silver Dragon. When she returned with her husband, he saw that Chen had an angry expression on his face. When he told him the news, his face grew even angrier.

"Mr Lair" he began "Are you certain it's Hay Lin?"

"We were able to identify her from her dental records." Tom hesitated. He was more than a little unsure about how to continue. "Hay Lin was found burnt to death in an alleyway. I'm sorry"

As he said this he saw Joan's composure crack completely and she began crying. The worse part of it was that he had a good idea as to how they felt. He'd liked the bubbly, artistic girl who had befriended his own daughter Irma. But for now he had to focus on the task at hand.

"Mr and Mrs Lin, I'm afraid that I have to ask you a few questions. Did Hay Lin have any enemies at all? Anyone who might wish her harm at all?" he asked in a gentle voice.

"N-N-No, no-one." Sobbed out Joan. Meanwhile back at the station, four girls who we all know so well were also being asked the same question. And they too gave the same answer. But unlike Joan and Chen Lin, they did know of someone who would wish her harm. But that would involve the revealing of secrets that shouldn't be revealed. Revealing that they were magical beings called guardians was not a good idea.

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After several hours grilling, the girl's parents were called. Will's mum was the first to arrive. She hugged her daughter as she began to cry once more. The other girl's parents were the same. Even the normally controlled Cornelia broke down into tears. But it was Irma who felt the pain of Hay Lin's death more than any of the others. Fortunately her stepmother understood that better than anyone and she whispered to Irma

"I'm so sorry sweetie, I know she meant the world to you."

And at that moment, despite the fact that she had lost her best friend, Irma was tremendously grateful for having a stepmother like Anna

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Hay Lin stood up. What was she doing lying down in an alleyway? Running her hand over her head and body to see if she had any bumps or bruises, she received her first clue that there was something wrong. Her hand was a luminescent white. With some trepidation, she looked down at the rest of her and let out a slight scream. Her whole body was luminescent white. There's only one group of people who can help me she thought to herself. Good thing we've got a sleepover at Cornelia's place tonight.

But when she reached Cornelia's house, things weren't that simple. She rushed past the doorman and rushed up the stairs as fast as she could. If she had been less preoccupied, she may have noticed that the doorman didn't notice her. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell. Or rather she tried. Instead of making contact with the doorbell, she passed through it. At the back of her mind, she began to realise what was going on but she couldn't bring herself to admit it. Passing through the door, she saw Cornelia's parents talking.

"She's finally asleep." Her mother said in a tired voice. Neither of them seemed to notice Hay Lin standing in the corner. Quietly sneaking her way around the room to Cornelia's bedroom, Hay Lin walked in.

She didn't like to wake someone who looked as peaceful in sleep as Cornelia did, but this was an emergency. But nothing seemed to work. Shouting at her did nothing and Hay couldn't shake her. Not that she hadn't tried, it was just that every time she tried to shake Cornelia, her hand passed through her arm.

"She can't hear you, you know." Said a voice to her right. Turning to face the voice, Hay Lin saw a skeleton in black robes standing there. "Nor can she see you. No-one can."

"You can." Hay Lin pointed out. The skeleton sighed and Hay Lin had the impression that if he had eyeballs, he would have rolled them.

"I can see you because I am death himself. Which brings us to the deal I'm going to offer you, little air guardian. You were not meant to die for a very long time. In the tower of lifelines, someone has stolen their own in an attempt to gain immortality. That is why Nerissa killed you now, instead of dying an old lady in your sleep. I need someone who can travel the afterlife quickly and effectively. In return, I will return you to life immediately after you died."

Hay Lin hesitated for a moment. "I'm not going to have to kill anyone am I?" she asked.

"No" Death replied. "Besides their already dead, how could you kill them?"

"Ok then tell me what I need to do" Hay Lin asked. It wasn't that death scared her, when you were a guardian that was a risk of the job. But this person had caused Hay Lins death and that was personal.

"I will explain as we go to the first part of the afterlife. I'm afraid I don't know what happens in the next part, but understand this. No one has ever returned. Whether it's heaven or reincarnation or anything else I don't know. I do know that if you go there you cannot return to your old life. And don't touch the green life stream whatever you do. Anyway this is what I need you to do….

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Hay Lin flew over the land searching for the thief. Trust me, she thought to herself he is gonna regret this. It troubled her that she couldn't remember dying, but death had told her that was a side effect of a traumatic death and that in time she would remember. In the meantime she focused on the task at hand. The one thing she felt was missing was the other four guardians. She was sure that they would have been glad to help if they could.

AN: This ones been sitting in my head for a while now. I'm not saying anything about the nature of death etc it is just a story ok? I don't want the bible brigade sending me flames ok. As always read and review


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own W.I.T.C.H ok.

Hay Lins funeral was a grim affair. Irma's normally upbeat self had been very sombre for the past few days and her emotions swung between intense sadness and extreme anger at Nerissa. Her friends had tried to console her, but she pushed them away. For Hay Lin's parents it was even worse and they talked about selling the Silver Dragon and moving elsewhere. Heatherfield held far to many memories for them.

As soon as the funeral was over, Will grabbed Irma and dragged her to a secluded part of the churchyard.

"Right now listen up Irma. We are going to Candracar and see if Hay Lins there. After all if her grandmother went there, then Hay probably did as well. You in?" Will said to her in a commanding voice. Irma nodded.

"I hope you're right Will, I really do. I can't stand the fact that I've lost her." Irma said.

But when they reached Candracar, Hay Lin wasn't there. The Oracle told them that their friend hadn't made the crossing to Candracar.

"Unfortunately the death of Hay Lin means that a new air guardian is needed. There is a student at your school who fits the category. Her name is Alchemie. A new girl at Sheffield, Alchemie has no close friends at all. You must befriend this girl and bring her to Candracar. Only together can you fight Nerissa." The Oracle paused. "And Guardians, be careful. Nerissa seeks to isolate Will to try and force her to hand over the Heart. Do not give her that opportunity."

The girls nodded. But he didn't realise that Irma had no intention of waiting. She wanted revenge and she wanted it now. Will and the others were prepared to wait, but Irma was going, with or without them.

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Hay Lin on the other hand was closing on her target. Throwing a circle of magic around him, she landed in the circle. The man in front of her seemed harmless enough, so why did death insist that she was the only one who could handle him? As she approached however, he threw some kind of dust in her eyes. Then the flashback began.

Flashback

"I'm almost there guys, see you soon." Hay Lin said into the phone. At the other end, Irma and Cornelia let out an exasperated sigh.

"Hay, when you say soon, do you mean five minutes or half an hour like last time?" Irma asked in a slightly annoyed voice. "You're already late."

"Soon, soon. Trust me" Hay Lin reassured her friend. "See ya!" she said and put down the phone.

As soon as she put her phone away, Hay Lin turned down the alleyway towards Cornelia's house.

As she walked down the alleyway, a wall of fire engulfed her and she felt a terrible burning sensation all over her body. The last thing she ever saw was Nerissa and Ember standing over her.

End flashback

"I am going to kill that witch!" Hay Lin yelled angrily. It was then that Hay Lin noticed the man was gone. Brilliant, she thought angrily to herself. He's gone. Taking to the air once more, Hay Lin began her search yet again. Next time, she thought, I won't give him a chance to come quietly, I'll just pound him.

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"Right does anyone have any ideas how we're going to get Alchemie to Candracar?" Will asked Taranee and Cornelia.

"Well I know she's in a band. Perhaps we might be able to reach her that way." Suggested Taranee.

"I'd be more worried about Irma at the moment. I get the feeling that she's likely to do something stupid and the last thing we need is to loose another guardian." Interjected Cornelia with a quiet voice. "Hay Lin and Irma were almost inseparable since kindergarten. There's no way she'll do nothing."

"That's why she's not here. She doesn't even want to consider Hay Lins replacement, she thinks it's some kind of betrayal to her memory that we're moving to replace her so soon." Replied Will.

"I suggest that we keep a close eye on her. We really can't afford to loose another member of W.I.T.C.H." said Cornelia.

"And a new member will need training. I know we were able to wing it before but Nerissa is not Phobos. Or Cedric for that matter. All of us are pretty proficient with our powers, but Alchemie won't be." Added Taranee.

Will took command. "Your right. Cornelia, you watch Irma and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. Taranee you're with me." Will barked, before continuing in a quieter voice "Here's the deal. We're going to get Alchemie to meet us somewhere private and reveal our secret to her. Not ideal, but we're kinda short on options right about now."

"I'll keep an eye on her, don't worry." Said Cornelia. "Good luck with Alchemie." Little did they know that it was already too late.

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"Nerissa!" Irma screamed into the howling winds of Mount Thanos. Had Irma been in a more rational frame of mind, she wouldn't be here on her own. Will, Taranee and Cornelia would be with her. But Irma wasn't in a rational, intelligent frame of mind at all.

"Nerissa" she called out again. "Are you afraid to face me you coward? Attacking and murdering people without warning more your style?"

"My, my" Chuckled Nerissa. "Such anger. It seems you're determined to fight. So fight we shall."

"You're going to pay for what you did to Hay Lin, witch!" Irma screamed at her with such anger and venom that Shagon actually flinched.

Nerissa looked at her knights of vengeance. "Stay out of this. I'll deal with this pest myself." She ordered. And so, the battle began.

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Hay Lin found her quarry. Or more accurately, he found her. Diving out at her from above, he attacked without warning. Turning to face her opponent, Hay Lin saw that the man now had a pair of golden wings on his back.

The sky turned black, as the two of them pulled their magic in.

AN: I haven't forgotten Irma's battle with Nerissa, it's in the next chapter. As always read and review.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: See Ch 1

A burst of blue magic shot from Irma's hands to smash into Nerissa's pink shield. Nerissa just laughed.

"Is that the best you can do little Guardian?" she asked mockingly, before sending a burst of pink magic into Irma in reply, sending her flying into the side of a boulder. "This is REAL strength little girl."

Irma stood up, her ears still ringing from the blow. Putting her hands on the snow below, her hands glowing. The snow all around them began to move to Nerissa, cocooning her, so she looked like a giant snowball. Irma kept the snow pilling up, determined to crush Nerissa under its weight. For a moment it looked like she might succeed. But then Nerissa exploded out of her cocoon in an explosion of fire, laughing.

"Ha ha ha. Very good little guardian. But shouldn't you be focusing your anger on those who put you and your friends in this position? The Oracle, the Council and of course Candracar."

"Go. To. Hell. Bh" snarled Irma in reply, before sending a fresh wave of blue magic at the former guardian.

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Hay Lin sent a bolt of purple magic at her attacker, which hit him firmly in the chest. Tumbling downwards, he turned, folded in his wings and dived away. With a snarl, Hay Lin dived in pursuit.

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"I'm sorry Cornelia, Irma isn't in at the moment." Anna Lair said sadly. "She went to the Silver Dragon. I hope she doesn't do anything stupid, she's really torn up about Hay Lin."

"Thanks Mrs Lair. I'll keep an eye on her." Cornelia replied, her calm exterior showing no signs of her worry about what Irma was doing right now.

As soon as she was out of sight, Cornelia pulled out her mobile and dialled Will's number. When she heard Will answer the phone she began to speak.

"Will, meet me at the Silver Dragon. I fear that Irma has already done something stupid."

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"Ok we'll meet you there." Replied Will.

"Do I want to know what's just happened?" Taranee asked in a resigned voice.

"Probably not. That was Cornelia. She believes Irma's done something stupid like charge up to Mount Thanos or something. We have to tell Alchemie the facts NOW."

Walking into the music room, they saw that Alchemie was not alone. Thinking quickly, Taranee grabbed Alchemie and dragged her out of the room.

"Alchemie, we need to talk." She said as Alchemie struggled against her.

"WHAT was that all about?" she angrily demanded, her face contorted in anger.

"Ok Alchemie, this is going to sound a little crazy and be even weirder, but it's really important you listen." Began Will, but Alchemie interrupted her.

"First off, nobody calls me Alchemie, except my teachers and secondly, you just dragged me out of band practice, how much crazier do you think this situation is gonna get?"

A pink orb appeared in Will's hand and Will smiled.

"Believe me Alchemie, you're about to find out."

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Hay Lin closed the gap on her quarry with astonishing speed. Purple air magic shot from her hands and formed a cage around him. Landing beside the cage, she yelled out "I've captured him death. Come and get him."

A burst of magic exploded outwards from her captive, blowing her cage away and sending Hay Lin flying into the green life stream. When she pulled herself out, she saw that her quarry had escaped once more. Then she heard a familiar voice.

"I told you not touch the life stream! Now you have received the most dangerous and subtle curse of them all. Immortality if you ever return to life."

Hay Lin raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't immortality supposed to be a gift?" she asked in a puzzled voice.

"Outliving everyone you hold dear? Seeing your world change beyond recognition? I was once like you, a human who thought immortality was a gift. But over the years, I've seen it for what it truly is. A curse of the worst kind."

Hay Lin paused for a moment as she took in what she had just been told.

"Oooookay then. Can you tell me why didn't he touch the life stream to begin with?"

"Because the life stream only has that effect on the dead. And there is another reason. Stealing your own lifeline causes you to transform in unexpected ways. You must capture him, before the transformation is complete, or all worlds will suffer under him."

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Irma's head was ringing, she had a broken arm and she was bleeding from gashes all over her body. She tried to stand up, determined that if she was going to die, then she would die fighting. But her leg was broken. Nerissa laughed at her.

"It's time for you to die guardian." She said. But as she fired the finishing blow, it hit a pink shield.

"Sorry Nerissa" said Will "not gonna happen today."

Beside Will stood the other Guardians. Flying above them was Alchemie as a beautiful young woman.

"You are outmatched guardian." Snarled Nerissa.

"Maybe so. But I'm not here for a fight." Replied Will and with that she grabbed Irma's arm and teletransported away. The others followed her almost instantaneously.

AN: In the comics, Hay Lin's magic is normally purple, so for this fic it's purple ok. Anyway read and review please.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: If you need to read this, you clearly haven't read the previous ones, so why start now?

Hay Lin rocketed through the sky in pursuit of her quarry, determined to finish this once and for all. Using her power over air, she pushed the air in front of her aside, removing any air resistance and using it to push her forward with greater speed than she'd ever done before. Faster than she had even thought possible.

She spotted her quarry ahead of her, heading for a black portal. Blasts of purple magic shot out of her hand and snapped the portal shut. The man turned to face her, a black crusty armour was growing on his chest. Now the final confrontation was about to begin. Either she took him down now, or he would escape and Hay Lin would stay here in the afterlife. With her hands glowing purple and his glowing black, the battle began.

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Alchemy stared at Will in disbelief.

"So let's get this straight. That girl that got killed, Hay Lin was one of these guardians, right?"

Will nodded.

"And you're almost certain that it was that woman we just fought." Alchemy paused, "Nerissa and her knights of vengeance, were the ones responsible?"

Will nodded again.

"Then what the hell are a bunch of kids like us doing, fighting a psycho like that?" Alchemy asked angrily.

Will shook her head and fixed Alchemie with a hard stare. "Alchemie, it's what we do. End of the day, we're needed to protect the world. We don't have any say in the matter, it's our destiny and our duty."

"Unless you're scared." Irma taunted, mockingly, her arm in a sling and her leg in a cast. Coming up with an explanation for her injuries had really tested the creative skills of the guardians to the limit, and even then, Will was sure that they weren't fully believed.

"Of course I'm scared. The last person filling this role was brutally murdered by this nut job. You'd be scared too if you had any brains left." Alchemie snapped back.

"Enough!" Will yelled, slamming her fists down on the table, as Irma opened her mouth to retaliate. She turned to face Irma. "Irma, you're not helping here. Hay Lin's death has hurt us all, but the only way to get revenge against Nerissa is for us to work together as a team." Will turned to face Alchemie.

"Alchemie" she began "If you won't stay on the team, at least stay until we've made Nerissa pay for Hay Lin's death." Alchemie looked uncertain.

"Look, even if you decided to leave us now, Nerissa will continue to consider you a threat and treat you as such, until she's gone." Cornelia added.

"Okay, I'm in for now. But when Nerissa is gone, I'm outta here." Alchemie replied coldly. "After all, there's no way I'm going to stay working with this girl, any longer than I have to." She finished as she pointed at Irma.

Will sighed. This was going to be a difficult few weeks.

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An all out magical battle was in flow between Hay Lin and her opponent. Bolts of purple magic rocketed from Hay Lin, coming in all directions and from her opponent flew bolts of black magic. Ducking and diving, deflecting and shooting, both sides tried desperately to gain the upper hand. As Hay Lin deflected yet another shot, she thought to herself, there has to be an easier way than this.

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Alchemie and the rest of the guardians were at Shell cove, ready to practise using their powers. Alchemie was more than a little nervous. All of the others had plenty of practise at using their powers and by all accounts they had gotten pretty good. As Will called forth the Heart and transformed the girls once more, Alchemy found herself wishing, most feverently, that she'd never come to Heatherfield. Powers or no powers, this was a little much.

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Hay Lin threw herself underneath another black blast as it came shooting at her, when she noticed a series of green threads radiating from her opponent. Acting instinctively, she reached out magically and pulled on one of the green threads.

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Alchemie took to the skies once more, a sense of relaxation coming over her as she felt herself reunited with her element. It was only in guardian form that she felt truly connected to her powers. Feeling the urge to experiment, she threw a bolt of magic at the ground. Unfortunately for the rest of the group, she kicked up a massive dust storm, as a mini tornado emerged from the ground.

"Sorry!" she yelled down at her fellow guardians, as they were engulfed in a thick layer of dust. As it cleared, Irma looked at herself and let out her first genuine laugh, since Hay Lin's death. Looking up at Alchemie, she said to her.

"You'll do."

And Alchemie finally felt like she belonged.

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Hay Lin watched in amazement as her opponent began to change. His black crusty armour became skin once more and his golden wings vanished into his back.

Now he was just the old man she'd first encountered. This time Hay Lin wasn't going to go easy on him. A series of tornadoes hit him. When he finally slammed down on the ground, he certainly wasn't getting back up anytime soon.

"Now it's time for you to deal with old man death." She growled to the unconscious man in front of her.

"You have done well little guardian. And now I will fulfil my end of our deal." The voice of Death intoned behind her. "Instead of dying in that alleyway, you will live."

Time began to unwind and everything that had happened before her death, suddenly never happened. Everything from her funeral to Alchemie's guardian practise, all of it was swept from the timeline, as though it had never happened.

AN: The end of this fic is very near.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: This far in, I shouldn't have to bother. Is there anybody here stupid enough to think I own W.I.T.C.H? No, didn't think so.

Hay Lin let out a groan and sat up. She looked around at her surroundings and recognised where she was at once. It was the same alleyway she'd been in when Nerissa had killed her. At least Nerissa had done so in a different timeline. She looked at her watch. Yep, no doubt about it, she was at the exact time and place she had died, with one major difference, namely she hadn't died. Pulling herself to her feet, she grabbed her bag and started running to Cornelia's apartment. And as she ran, she began to wonder to herself, was any of it real?

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The Oracle and Yan Lin watched Hay Lin with concern.

"Her fate has changed drastically. Her future has become clouded and uncertain." The Oracle murmured.

"I know my granddaughter. She will be able to handle her new role." Yan Lin replied. The Oracle smiled sadly.

"I hope so. Already we have asked so much of the guardians." The Oracle replied his voice sombre.

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Will looked at her diminutive Chinese friend and wondered what was on her mind. Hay Lin had been extremely quiet all night long and everyone had noticed. She wasn't drawing in her sketchbook at all and she seemed to be distant.

"Ok Hay Lin, what's up?" Will asked, finally realising that Hay wasn't going to spit out what was bothering her.

Hay Lin shook her head. "It's nothing Will." She said.

"Hay Lin, I have known you since kindergarten. I KNOW it's not nothing." Irma pointed out.

"Weeelll" Hay Lin paused. "It's a long story and I'm halfway inclined to think it's some sort of dream or something. It sounds that crazy, but I'm almost certain it was real. It goes like this…"

And so she told them of her experiences. Their responses were not encouraging, to say the least. Cornelia thought it was probably a dream, Irma did as well. Probably one of the few things that they actually did agree on. Will was supportive, but she too was doubtful. Taranee didn't say anything. Hay Lin struggled to hold back her tears, but to be fair to her friends, her tale did sound far-fetched, even by Guardian standards.

"Maybe you're right Cornelia and Irma, maybe you're right." She said, without conviction. The rest of the night passed awkwardly and soon they decided to settle down to sleep.

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One week later.

"Tell Nerissa she's not getting the Heart, no matter how much she tries" Will screamed at Shagon, as she sent a stream of pink magic into him. Shagon merely laughed.

"How little you understand my mistress, little guardian, how little you understand her." Shagon taunted Will. In an attempt to keep the guardians on edge, Nerissa had been sending her minions to attack W.I.T.C.H at random. Up until now it had only been Ember and Tridart. Shagon was an unwelcome addition to these raids. They all knew he fed off of their anger, but they hadn't come up with a means of fighting him. Cornelia especially, had difficulty with the anger problems. She was still seething over the fact that Caleb was desperately ill from his time with Nerissa.

As Hay Lin pulled herself back to launch another attack, she noticed something strange. Out of Shagon's body, there were green threads, like those she'd seen when she fought that final battle in the afterlife. Magically reaching out, she pulled one and slowly Shagon began to fall apart, as his original human form was reasserted. As the innocent young man who Nerissa had forcibly changed lay unconscious in front of them, the rest of W.I.T.C.H turned to face Hay Lin, who was standing in front of him with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Sorry Hay, you were right." Irma said, her voice awed. Hay Lin shook her head.

"You weren't to know." Hay Lin replied.

"I suggest we go to Candracar and find out more there." Will suggested. Bringing forth the Heart, it glowed and teletransported them away. At least that was the idea. But while the other guardians vanished as planned, Hay Lin simply got thrown back and fell on her bum. As she pulled herself to her feet, a wave of realisation hit her.

"Oh damn!" was all she could say.

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The remaining four guardians arrived at Candracar without a hitch.

"Hey, what happened to Hay Lin?" Irma asked, looking round.

"She is unable to join us" the Oracle answered. "I suggest we return to Earth and discuss Hay Lin's situation."

And with a sudden flash, they returned to Heatherfield, where Hay Lin was waiting for them.

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Hay Lin watched as her friends reappeared with the Oracle.

"Hay Lin, I am sorry, but your connection to the life stream binds you to this world. Candracar is forever beyond you." The Oracle said to Hay Lin. "It is not something I would wish on anyone."

"WAIT A MINUTE!" Irma bellowed, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT CANDRACAR IS FOREVER BEYOND HER!?!"

"Nice going Irma. There might have been a couple of people several miles away who didn't hear that." Cornelia commented acidly.

"Her question is valid, but her delivery could use some work." Will added.

"Indeed." The Oracle replied. "When she touched the life stream, her very essence became connected to this planet. In short, she is unable to leave this planet. There is no way of changing it, I'm sorry."

Hay Lin nodded and smiled sadly. "Then I ask of you a favour Oracle. If I cannot come to Candracar, let my Grandmother visit me here on Earth."

The Oracle let out a laugh. "I really don't think I could stop her, do you?" The Oracle paused. "Hay Lin, I do have a different role to ask you to play."

"What is it?" Hay Lin asked.

"Earth will need guidance to reach its full potential. I humbly ask that you provide that guidance. A subtle nudge in the right places to turn humans in the right direction, when they are in danger of losing their way." The Oracle answered.

"I accept, but only after we've defeated Nerissa."

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The opportunity came much sooner than expected. Furious at losing one of her most powerful soldiers, Nerissa attacked Hay Lin and Irma as they headed home from school. A blast of pink magic smashed into Hay Lin with such ferocity that she went flying.

"Hay!" Irma screamed.

Hay Lin pulled herself to her feet. "I'm ok." Nerissa stared in disbelief.

"How did you…" She began, but Hay Lin cut her off.

"I can't die."

"You're still no match for me, little girl." Nerissa snarled and she threw another bolt of magic at Hay Lin, who took off at the same time, causing the bolt to miss.

"My turn" Hay Lin said cheerfully and she began to pull on the threads surrounding Nerissa.

Nerissa fell to the ground and her unnatural youth faded and in its place was the aged body she had when she had first broken free. Irma transformed herself and suddenly Nerissa was trapped in a cage of blue magic.

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With Nerissa's capture, her thralls were lost. Ember and Tridart returned to the elements from which they were forged and Khor was restored to the cheerful dog he had been when he first encountered Nerissa. Neither the geologist, nor his dog, remembered anything about their time as Shagon and Khor, but when their colleagues found them, it was hailed as a modern day miracle.

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3000 years later

An old Chinese lady sat back in her chair as she watched her grandson running about like a mad thing. She didn't have to stay an old woman, at times she became a teenager, just for the thrill of being young again. But for now, she was happy just being a grandmother. To avoid getting unwanted attention from Earth's authorities, she did have to fake her death every once in a while. (Heh, she mused to herself, I lost count at the thirtieth time, sometime back in the mid twenty seventh century.) She still had her old friends as well. Irma especially visited her regularly from Candracar, although the others visited as well. Although she couldn't die, it didn't stop her from wishing she could at times, but hey that's life.

AN: This plot bunnies been a little awkward with this chapter, but I think it turned out ok. Or at least I hope it did. Please read and review.


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